When we covered the diseases that animal pests can bring into your home, we focused on a couple lesser-known ones. Of course, the well-known disease that animals, especially raccoons and bats carry, is rabies. TheCenters for Disease Control have devoted an entire site to the disease. Here are the main points to remember.

• Receiving a bite from a rabid animal is the main method for rabies transmission. Unlike the other diseases we talked about, rabies is not transmitted through droppings or urine.
• As with any animal bite, a bite wound from a rabid animal should be immediately washed with soap and water, and a visit to the doctor should quickly follow.
• Flu-like symptoms are the first symptoms of rabies to appear, but the onset of symptoms usually means it’s too late to successfully treat the disease. That’s why getting medical attention as soon as possible after a bite is so important.

It all gets back to the point of getting animal pests out of the home as soon as you realize they’re there. If you suspect an animal in your home, you need to contact us to get it back outside where it belongs.

Recently we looked at the damage that animals can cause in the home arising from leaks through the holes they create. We’ve also discussed the health problems they can cause by contaminating food, drink, and other materials in the home. However, there are even more types of damage these pests can cause.

As you can see on this page, animals, such as squirrels, rats, and mice, have teeth that grow like nails and hair. They will chew on electric wires to trim down and sharpen their teeth. If they chew through a wire, they can cause a power failure to part of your home. This can be a nuisance especially if repairing such a break involves ripping into a wall. The animal could also electrocute itself by chewing on the wires. At best, this results in a bad odor as the animal decomposes. At worst, it can start a fire.

All the more reason, you should contact us as soon as you suspect a pest in your home. It’s better to deal with it soon while it’s still a small problem than wait for it to become a bigger problem.

• Most homeowners realize there are animals in the house when they hear the sound of feet running across their ceiling at night.
• The presence of droppings and items from outside or other parts of the house (such as leaves, twigs, birdseed, and nuts) in your attic is a sure sign of a pest.
• Nesting material such as straw, leaves, and pieces of insulation mixed with fur is another telltale sign.
• Holes from the outside don’t necessarily mean animals are present, but if they’re not already, they soon will be. Turning the lights out in the attic can help identify whether there are holes.

We’ve pointed to the structural damage that squirrels and pests can cause when they invade your house, but there are health issues as well. These animals often carry with them Salmonella and Leptospira organisms that can cause sickness and disease in humans. The Centers for Disease Controloffer more information about these organisms and the diseases they cause.

Salmonella
Most animals and their feces carry salmonella bacteria, which can spread to humans through skin contact. Salmonella causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that last four to seven days. Although it does not often cause death, it can do so in children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.

Leptospira
These organisms can spread to humans through infected water and food as well as through skin contact. Humans that develop leptospirosis often exhibit flu-like symptoms although some show no symptoms at all. When left untreated, the disease can cause kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, and respiratory distress.

Obviously, neither of these are pleasant ordeals to go through. That’s why it’s all the more important to contact us if you see or hear evidence of animals in your home.